Amateur runners may get shot at 2020 Olympic glory

Riding on the popularity of marathons in China, the sport's national governing body announced on Thursday that it will allow amateurs the opportunity to compete for a place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Aimed at triggering greater interest in long-distance running, the Chinese Athletics Association unveiled a plan to offer entries to amateur runners if they meet qualifying standards in domestic trials.

The association will offer two spots - one man and one woman - on its national team for the 2020 Olympics to amateurs who can clock times faster than current Olympic qualifying standards of 2 hr 19 min for men and 2 hr 45 min for women.